Welcome to my blog! If you are new here you may want to check out my projects, tutorials and follow along! Have a great day!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Felt Applique Picture

I posted this on Saturday on Home Savvy A to Z but I am posting it again in case my readers missed it! I will show you how to make a felt applique picture.

For Christmas we did a gift exchange draw and I got my sister Camille. I decided to make her a appliqued picture with embroidery over it. I am not sure when I came up with the idea, but I like the way it turned out- I hope she likes it too!

Here is the tutorial on making a felt applique picture.

First find your inspiration picture (or sketch one up if you are that talented!).

You want to look for something that doesn't have too much detail or else it may get a little tricky. This picture did have a lot of detail, but I chose just to do the main shapes out of felt and add details with the embroidery floss.

I found this vintage clip art on The Graphics Fairy. I liked the layout of it but I didn't want to put the boy in it, so I just didn't cut him out.

Using a copier resize the image to how big you want your picture to be and make several copies.

Cut out each element of the picture that you want to make a different color.

I used a couple different shades of green for the grass.

Use the paper as a template for cutting out different colors of felt. I got all of my felt from the Etsy seller Giant Dwarf- it is a really nice fancy felt and there were so many colors to choose from. Regular acrylic felt may work for this, but I would be afraid it would fray too easily.

Then I traced the outline of where I wanted to put it on my embroidery fabric.

I used 28 Ct Sky Blue Lugana. You can use regular cotton fabric to stitch this onto as well, I just liked the color of Lugana I had. I sell cross stitch/embroidery fabrics like this in my Etsy store and they are great for projects like this!

Then I used temporary spray adhesive to hold the pieces of felt together until I could embroider around them. You have to think a little bit here and layer them correctly but it isn't too difficult.

After that I used embroidery floss to stitch around the edges and add details to the picture.

I mostly used backstitches but if you are really good at embroidery and depending on the picture you are making I think specialty stitches would look pretty cool.

The only thing I wish I would have done differently was the white pieces. I couldn't get right on the edge of the felt without it fraying down and I don't like the brown outline inside of it- oh well, lesson learned!

The finished embroidery- I think my favorite part is the details of the leaves on the ground and the grass.

Now to Frame the Project:

This is the method I use for framing cross stitch and embroidery projects. I am not sure if this is the best way or the correct way but it has worked for me.

I get a 1/4" piece of foamcore in the size a little larger than the inside section of the matboard.

Center the front of the project on the foamboard and wrap the edges around tight.

Using T-pins pin the fabric into place on all four sides.

Then take thread and sew the raw edges together on the back to hold them firmly in place- I forgot to take a picture of this step.

Place foamboard centered on matboard opening, tape into place. I use masking tape and go across it both ways multiple times.

Place matboard in frame, cover back with posterboard or paper.

Here is the finished framed project- I hate taking pictures with the glass in the frame!

Absolutely beautiful!! I'm pinning it so I can give it a try. Thank you for sharing the tutorial. I would love it if you would check out our sharing party on Saturday called Sharing Saturdays and hopefully share something.http://craftymomsshare.blogspot.com/

Really stunning!! You know, since you used a GraphicFairy image to be inspired, I'm sure you can link up to her BRAG MONDAY party over at graphicsfairy! Why not show it this coming monday?! (I see on your linky page that you don't have her party listed- if your images use or are inspired by GF and they are linked there, they qualify).

This would be soooo cool to see at Brag Monday!(I'm there weekly)Smiles,Suzanne at WhyCuzICanVisiting from Crafty, Scrappy, Happy party

I love this! Your picture turned out beautifully, thanks for the tutorial, I have been wanting to try felt applique pictures for quite some time. I love the design you chose as well, very nice & vintage looking. Great job!!